RetroIndy: The RCA Dome

1983 inflated-roof stadium helped spark downtown transformation

Jan. 9, 2013 11:49 AM

In the early 1980s, Indianapolis Mayor William Hudnut and other civic leaders took a risk building a $77.5 million stadium in hopes of attracting an NFL team to the city.

The gamble worked, and in 1984 the Indianapolis Colts moved to Indy and made what was then called the "Hoosier Dome" their home turf. The stadium's quilt-like inflated roof -- made of 81 sections of Teflon-coated fiberglass held together by steel cables -- became a fixture of the city's growing skyline.
The grand opening was May 3, 1984.

Naming rights:

In 1994, Thomson Consumer Electronics signed a $10 million, 10-year contract with the Capital Improvement Board changing the name of the Hoosier Dome to the RCA Dome. In January 2004, Thomson extended the deal for another five years. A full 20-year deal would result in a payment of $23.5 million.

By the numbers:

FInal cost: $77.5 million.Dimensions: 19 stories tall; 348,480 square feet.Seats: 56,127 permanent seats, including 104 luxury suites and 4,532 club seats. Record attendance for a single event: 67,596 for the U.S. Olympic team vs. the NBA All-Stars on July 9, 1984.

Demolition:

In 2008, after Lucas Oil Stadium was built, the RCA Dome's roof was deflated and the structure imploded to make way for an expansion of the Indiana Convention Center.